Watermelon https://greenelly.com/ has been prized for its juicy flesh and refreshing taste for thousands of years. The first evidence of watermelon cultivation in Ancient Egypt dates back to the 20th century BC. Its seeds were even found in the tombs of the pharaohs. Images of watermelon are found on the walls of burials, and ancient papyri mention recipes using it.
Genetic analysis of 3,500-year-old watermelon seeds from a New Kingdom tomb showed that even then people developed varieties with sweet red flesh. The closest relatives of the cultivated watermelon are the white-fleshed Kordofan watermelons from Sudan. Perhaps they served as the ancestors of modern sweet varieties.
In ancient Rome, watermelon was popular both fresh and pickled. The Arabs valued it for its ability to cleanse the body. In medieval Europe, this fruit appeared after the Crusades. In England, watermelons began to be grown in greenhouses only in the 17th century.
Today, the largest producer of watermelons in the world is China. It is followed by Iran, Türkiye, India and Brazil. Watermelon is a popular summer delicacy with a centuries-old history.
